Manufacturing technology development for CuInGaSe sub 2 solar cell modules

Technical Report · Thu Oct 31 23:00:00 EST 1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5916144· OSTI ID:5916144

Stanbery, B J ^[1]

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1. Boeing Aerospace and Electronics Co., Seattle, WA (United States)

The report describes research performed by Boeing Aerospace and Electronics under the Photovoltaic Manufacturing Technology project. We anticipate that implementing advanced semiconductor device fabrication techniques to the production of large-area CuIn{sub 1-x}Ga{sub x}Se{sub 2} (CIGS)/Cd{sub 1-y}Zn{sub y}S/ZnO monolithically integrated thin-film solar cell modules will enable 15% median efficiencies to be achieved in high-volume manufacturing. We do not believe that CuInSe{sub 2} (CIS) can achieve this efficiency in production without sufficient gallium to significantly increase the band gap, thereby matching it better to the solar spectrum (i.e., x{ge}0.2). Competing techniques for CIS film formation have not been successfully extended to CIGS devices with such high band gaps. The SERI-confirmed intrinsic stability of CIS-based photovoltaics renders them far superior to a-Si:H-based devices, making a 30-year module lifetime feasible. The minimal amounts of cadmium used in the structure we propose, compared to CdTe-based devices, makes them environmentally safer and more acceptable to both consumers and relevant regulatory agencies. Large-area integrated thin-film CIGS modules are the product most likely to supplant silicon modules by the end of this decade and enable the cost improvements which will lead to rapid market expansion.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States); Boeing Aerospace and Electronics Co., Seattle, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-83CH10093
• OSTI ID: 5916144
• Report Number(s): NREL/TP-214-4606; ON: DE92001176
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CADMIUM SULFIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL COATING
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
DEPOSITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
DOCUMENT TYPES
EQUIPMENT
FILMS
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
GALLIUM SELENIDES
INORGANIC PHOSPHORS
MANUFACTURING
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHORS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PROGRESS REPORT
SELENIDES
SELENIUM COMPOUNDS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE COATING
THIN FILMS
ZINC COMPOUNDS
ZINC OXIDES
ZINC SULFIDES